New Wounds, Old Friends
by Jaye Reid
Summary: Cops are on the side of justice and right. But sometimes they wonder if the fight is worth it. What are the costs?


New Wounds, Old Friends.

By Jaye Reid

Written: 5-6.07.2000

Disclaimer: Water Rats will be owned by Southern Star for yet another year! Fantastic. I don't mind that they own them, I am just borrowing them for a short while.

Authors notes: This short piece follows on after the brilliant episode "Mozzie". Also to celebrate the fact that Channel Nine has decided to have some faith in the current Water Rats and continue to screen the show for another year.

Dedication: This one is for Christine, championing the cause of the newies!

~*~*~*~

Mick took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She was so bloody pig-headed. Lucky, he thought, that he was used to working with female pig-headed partners.

"Look Alex," he complained with just enough sympathy in his tone to keep her on side.

"Nah… this is bullshit Mick," she exclaimed waving her arms around. "Ya know that. It's total crap. We're sittin' here on our backsides while this crazed loony is running around out there laughing at us. And what does Jeff want to do? Tell me Mick, what's he doing…"

Mick just stood there and shook his head, before slumping down into his chair. Alex was pacing around the office. There wasn't any point in trying to reason with her when she worked herself up like this. He had seen her worked up before and there was nothing else to do but let it run its course.

"Exactly Mick, exactly," she complained after receiving no response to her question. "Jeff's sittin' back there in his nice cozy office with his big chair and his clever looking fish. And what's he doing? Nothing! Bloody nothing!"

"Who's doing nothing?" asked Jack as he wandered into the office.

"Jeff!" snapped Alex.

"Ah well… his hands are tied really, not much he can do," replied Jack 

Mick cringed and turned back around in his chair to face his desk. Surely Jack had heard Alex's tirade as he approached the office. Mick would have been surprised if the whole building hadn't heard. He was wondering why Jeff himself hadn't barged in and given Alex a mouthful about disturbing the peace. He could see into Jeff's office from his desk. He appeared to be on the phone. Lucky for Alex, Mick decided. But now it was going to be Jacks turn.

"Urghhhh…. you know Jack, you're just as bad as Hawker. Just as bad," she mumbled. "I'm getting out of here for awhile. I need some fresh air. There's too much testosterone in this office."

"Alex….." called Mick.

Alex gave him a back-handed wave and stomped out of the office and headed down the corridor, disappearing down the stairs.

"What's that all about?" asked Jack curiously.

"Ah you know Alex. Finds a cause and she's like full on. That was the best I've seen for awhile though. Nothing like a bit of World War three to start the day."

"Nah mate, you're wrong there. Before I went on holidays we were already up to about World War five. You can't tell me there weren't a couple while I was away," Jack chuckled.

Mick scoffed and smiled. "Yeah, starting to loose count. But Jack, she could be right ya know. There may be more to this than Jeff's letting on."

Jack screwed up his face. "You've been hanging around her *too* long by yourself I think Mick. Did I miss somethin' between you two while I was away?"

"Don't start with that rubbish Jack."

"Ohhh… defensive. So what, a bit of the old horizontal tango?" queried Jack with a sly grin.

"No Jack, there wasn't. And anyway if there *was*, which there wasn't, you should be the last person around here making jibes about sleepin' with your colleagues don't you think?"

"That was different," replied Jack quietly but defensively.

Mick wished the comment back the second after it had passed his lips, but it was too late. Changing the subject seemed like a good option.

"So, what should we do then, about this Trisha?" asked Mick.

"It's not our case," stated Jack. "I mean if the assault occurred as Alex's friend was strolling along the beach, well yeah, we could do something."

"Yeah, but the Cross, at night?" continued Mick. "I mean hell, what was she doing there in the first place? She's not a damn pro. is she? One that Alex befriended during her undercover days?"

"And what if she was Mick, she deserved to be beaten?" queried Helen as she chose that moment to enter the detectives office.

"I didn't mean it like that Helen," he replied.

"I certainly hope not. You of all people should know better than to take people on face value," she replied sternly.

"What? Because *my* face is black?" asked Mick.

"No. Because you're meant to be a well trained detective and you work on facts. And should know by now not to jump to conclusions. You should remember, in this business especially, that you don't judge people on their skin colour, socio-economic status, sexual preference or…" she turned from Mick to Jack with a smile, "their poor sense in hair stylist."

"Hey, what's wrong with the haircut?" complained Jack patting his hand on the top of his head.

"Oh nothing at all if you like that look," replied Helen with a grin. "Now, about Alex. She's none too happy at the moment."

"And that's our fault?" asked Jack.

"No. No its not. But you could cut her a bit of slack at the moment."

"Didn't realise this was a bloody babysitting service now," said Jack sarcastically.

"Jack…" started Helen.

"Mick, Jack… is there a problem Helen?" asked Jeff sticking his head in the doorway.

"Ah no Jeff," replied Helen.

"Where's Alex?" asked Jeff.

"Just stepped out Jeff," replied Jack.

"Where? I need to speak to her. I've just got off the phone from HQ. Senior constable Cassandra Lewis died in hospital about an hour ago."

"What's that got to do with…" started Jack and then he realised. "Her friend *Trisha* was another undercover cop. That's why you wouldn't let her have anything to do with it."

"The orders came from higher up Jack. If she recovered she may have been able to go back into the Cross and continue the pretense. If we bowled in there and started investigating when it wasn't our patch, it would have looked mighty suspicious. She was close to breaking into the inner circle apparently."

"And instead they break her," replied Helen.

"Yes, something like that. The whole operation is blown apparently. Two years work. Someone caught her out," replied Jeff. "And Alex needs to be informed."

"I'll do it," offered Jack.

"Are you sure Jack?" asked Helen. "I can do it if you want."

"Nah it's okay Helen. Where did she go?" replied Jack.

"She's out on the front lawn I think," replied Helen. 

~*~

Alex glanced around as she sensed Jack approaching her.

"Yeah yeah… I've calmed down. Suppose I've got a lecture coming," she grinned.

Jack silently sat down beside her. He pulled at a handful of grass and threw it up to the breeze.

Alex screwed up her nose and smiled at him. "Oh that bad was I? Hawkers on the prowl after me too I suppose."

"Nah, it's not that Alex," said Jack quietly.

"What then?"

"Hawker just got a call from HQ… about Cassandra."

"Cassandra? What about… and how do you know her name? I think even she's forgotten it. She's gone by Trisha for so long now that…" Alex saw the look on Jack's face but she continued. "Cassie and I… we were at school together. I knew I wanted to be a cop. Anything to piss the olds off you know. She didn't know what she wanted to do." Alex half smiled at the memory. "Anyway she decided to go to the Academy when I joined. And then we ended up in adjoining suburbs after training you know. We stayed friends. We used to share a place because neither of us wanted to live at home anymore and well her parents weren't overly happy about her joining the cops either. And… and then when I decided to apply for undercover years later… she well… she…" Alex's bottom lip started to quiver and the tears started welling up in her eyes. She had known when she saw the look in Jack's eyes, but she wanted to hold it together. Like a game she didn't want to break. Alex tried to fight back through the tears. "She figured that she would have a go too. So we…. we…"

"Alex…"

"No… no! Bloody hell…" she stood up and wandered in circles, wrapping her arms around herself, tears now steaming down her face. "First Mozzie and now Cass. The bastards! The mongrel bloody bastards…"  
  
"Alex, come on inside…" started Jack.

"No, I have to go see her. I should go," she said wildly.

"Come on Alex, you're not in any fit state to drive there. Come inside for a bit and calm down…"

"Calm down? Calm down! The bastards killed my friends Jack. They killed my friends… they killed them," she sobbed crumpling to the ground in a heap.

Jack walked over to her and sat down beside her. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders as waves of built up grief were released.

~*~

"Here," said Jack as he handed a steaming cup of tea to Alex in the meals room. She had pulled the chair away from the table. With her shoes on the floor, her stockinged toes curled at the edge of the seat while her knees rested against the edge of the table. She sniffed like a child and wiped her eyes with the corner of her sleeve before taking the cup.

"Ta," she replied, taking a small sip and then balancing the cup on her knees. She ran her free hand through her hair. "I must look a fright."

"Ah do you want an honest answer to that or the party line?" replied Jack as he grabbed a chair beside her.

She scoffed quietly and smiled to herself for a second. "That bad eh?"

"Not your best look let's just say," he replied. "How about one of us take you home. You're not gonna feel like doing much else today."

"Yeah… no… buggered if I know," she sighed. "I just can't think straight at the moment.

"Alex," said Helen from the doorway before walking over to them. She put her hand on Alex's shoulder as the distressed detective looked up at her. "There's a Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are here to see you."

"Oh shit Helen, no… I can't see them. I can't face them."

"Cassandra's parents?" queried Jack.

Helen nodded.

"What do they want with me? I bet they blame me. They do don't they Helen? She followed *me* into the service, she followed *me* to undercover work… It's my fault she is dead."

"Come on Alex," said Helen pulling up the chair on the other side her. "She wouldn't have made it through the Academy if she wasn't capable."

"Although you have to wonder what they are doing these days considering the current crop," added Jack nodding towards downstairs.

"Jaaack…." warned Helen before turning back to Alex and continuing. "She knew the dangers Alex. She was a cop and she knew what the risks were. No one will blame you, and *you* shouldn't blame yourself."

"They *will* blame me though," she replied.

"Come on Alex, you have to see them sometime. Get it over and done with now," replied Helen.

Alex sighed and looked up at Helen.

"Go do something with your face too. I don't think there is any mascara around your eyes, I think it is all down your cheeks," smiled Helen sympathetically.

"Yeah," said Alex sitting up and fishing for her shoes with her feet through a cloudy haze.

"Here," said Helen as she reached under the chair, picking up the errant shoe and handing it to her.

"Ta," said Alex sadly as she took the shoe and levered it onto her foot.

"Come on get cleaned up a little. I've kicked Jeff out of his office. They're waiting for you in there. I'll just go tell them you wont be long," replied Helen as she patted her on the shoulder before getting up and leaving.

"Hey Jack, thanks," said Alex leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

"What for?" he asked slightly embarrassed as she headed for the door.

"Just everything, ta."

~*~

"How'd she take the news?" asked Mick as Jack walked back in.

"Oh yeah," he said absentmindedly as he looked through the glass of the detectives office, through Helen's to Jeff's. Unfortunately the door of the Chief Inspectors office was closed and he couldn't see anyone in there. "Um, yeah, about as well as you'd expect. But she'll get there. Tough cookie that one."

"We've got a couple of suspects to check out. That warehouse break and enter yesterday. Can't believe they did it in broad daylight and we don't have any strong leads. A couple of people *think* they may have seen something," said Mick.

"Yep, okay, we'll go have a bit of a chat shall we?" said Jack standing up again.

"Where ya going?" asked Alex as she stood in the doorway.

"Warehouse break and enter yesterday Alex. I thought you'd…" said Mick glancing towards Jeff's office.

"Ah yeah, yeah. I think I might take a couple of days off. Do you think you can cope without me?" she asked.

Jack looked at Mick. "I think we can manage. I mean you and Mick have coped without me for a few weeks haven't you?"

"Yeah, we did it pretty easy eh Mick. Anyway, bit better?" she asked, pointing towards her face.

"Heaps," grinned Jack. "Other than the puffy eyes, and no makeup, you look just great."

"Humph! Ta for the vote of confidence Jack. Time to face the music I guess," she replied with a half smile.

"It'll be fine," replied Jack. "Just remember, it isn't your fault."

Alex bit her bottom lip and nodded before heading to Jeff's office.

"Hey Alex," said Mick as she passed the other door. "You know where to find us if ya need us, okay?"

"Yeah, ta."

Jack and Mick watched as she knocked and then entered Jeff's office. She was quickly embraced by the two strangers in there, as Helen closed the door leaving the office. Helen could see the two men watching. She gave them a smile and nodded.

And the Detectives headed out of the office.

The End.


End file.
